Anatomy 360 by Jamie Roebuck

Author:Jamie Roebuck [Roebuck, Jamie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781607104971
Publisher: Thunder Bay Press

Heart attack (myocardial infarction)

If a clot (thrombus) forms inside a coronary artery, it blocks the supply of blood to the myocardium “downstream” of it. If this blockage is prolonged, then the myocardium will die. This is referred to as a myocardial infarct, or heart attack. The dead myocardium means that the heart cannot pump as effectively. This may lead to death if the heart cannot pump blood around the rest of the body.

CORONARY CONDUCTION

The heart has its own rhythmic “beat” generator located in the right atrium. This sends regular electrical signals, via specialized rapidly conducting cells, to the rest of the heart. These electrical signals instruct the cardiac muscle cells (cardiomyocytes) of the atria and ventricles to contract, causing the heart to beat and pump blood around the body. The rate at which signals are generated can be varied, and depends upon the needs of the body, i.e. increased in exercise, and decreased at rest.

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